Netflix app viewers are different from those that watch on the web
Netflix app viewers are different from those that watch on the web
A new report dives into the trends that differentiate streamers by how they choose to watch their favorite titles.
Netflix’s semi-annual data dumps focusing on what the company’s customers are watching give a fascinating look into what audiences are watching most on the streamer. But there are still plenty of details left out of those spreadsheets, including a breakdown of who is watching content on which devices. New findings from Datos attempts to solve that dilemma, by breaking down how viewers are watching different content segments on Netflix, and whether they prefer to stream using the service’s apps, or on Web devices like laptops and desktops.
Key Details:
- App users tend to watch more children’s content and cartoons than the web.
- Users on both were most likely to watch Netflix in the evening.
- “Young Sheldon” was the top title among app users, while “Wednesday” scored highest among Web watchers.
In many ways, Netflix customers using the app and those who watch on the web are quite similar. Both tend to use the streamer for the same number of sessions each month, and the average length of a session usually falls between 60 and 80 minutes.
There are some key differences between these two categories of Netflix viewers, however. App customers are much more likely to be watching cartoons or kids’ content than those using the Web, suggesting that parents are either handing kids the phone to watch Netflix and keep them occupied, or are putting a Netflix cartoon up on their smart TV.
See which programming types fall into the top 10 most-watched among the different categories of Netflix users below.
| Rank | Netflix Web users category | Netflix App users category |
|---|---|---|
| No. 1 | Dramas | Children & Family |
| No. 2 | Comedies | Comedies |
| No. 3 | Romance | Dramas |
| No. 4 | Thrillers | Action & Adventure |
| No. 5 | Crime | Romance |
| No. 6 | Based on books | Sci-Fi & Fantasy |
| No. 7 | Reality Show | Thrillers |
| No. 8 | Children & Family | Crime |
| No. 9 | Sci-Fi & Fantasy | Based on books |
| No. 10 | Teen | Cartoons |
As you can see, Children & Family programming is the top selection for Netflix app watchers, whereas among Web users it falls all the way to seventh. Aside from that glaring difference, however, Netflix users tend to watch the same types of programming on both sources, though with varying frequency.
The individual shows viewers choose on each viewing method also show a bit of overlap, though the top shows on the list of each are quite different. App viewers’ favorite show to stream on Netflix was the family-friendly “Young Sheldon,” while Web viewers picked the spooky original series “Wednesday” as their No. 1 series.
Another big similarity in how Netflix viewers on both the app and on the web is the time of day they choose to watch. Netflix viewing sessions are most popular in the evening across the board, with Friday evenings being an especially popular day to stream the service. Netflix clearly has conditioned its viewers to think of a TV episode or movie as a great way to ease into the weekend.
Knowing more about who watches what kind of titles on which platforms while using Netflix gives greater insight into the streamer’s user base, and how it should be marketing its library going forward. The Datos survey clearly shows that app users are more likely to gravitate toward family programming, while Web customers are much more likely to be adults watching by themselves.
Netflix
Netflix is a leading subscription-based video streaming service that offers on-demand access to an extensive library of over 3,000 movies, 2,000+ TV shows, and a growing collection of acclaimed Netflix originals. Renowned for producing groundbreaking content, Netflix has become a cultural powerhouse with hit originals like “Stranger Things,” “Wednesday,” “Squid Game,” “The Crown,” “Tiger King,” “Bridgerton,” “The Witcher,” and “Black Mirror.”